


Lips Like Cinnamon

by larrymylove



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Banter, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Flirting, Holidays, Ice Skating, M/M, Milkshakes, New Year's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 20:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5428868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larrymylove/pseuds/larrymylove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis works at the candy kiosk at the mall to earn a little extra Christmas cash. And Louis is quite taken with the beautiful boy working the candle kiosk next to him - with his cinnamon lips and chocolate truffle curls. And yeah, maybe Louis' been working at the candy stand too long. But the beautiful boy is absolutely delectable, and Louis quite wants a taste. Lots of flirting, lots of sweetness, an ice skating mishap, and cuddles during Christmas movies ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lips Like Cinnamon

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” was playing for the hundredth time in the last week. It used to be Louis’ favorite Christmas song, up until he started working at the mall to earn a bit more cash to spend on Christmas gifts for his friends and family. The mall played the same fifty songs on a loop, and Louis didn’t even feel like shimmying to Mariah Carey after about the seventieth time of hearing it. It was a damn shame, if he was honest. But he couldn’t really complain to much. He enjoyed his job for the most part. None of the main stores were hiring when he’d applied, and instead, he’d taken a job running one of the kiosks in the center of the mall. He sold chocolates at the See’s stand that only ever opened for November to January. It was a fun job for the most part. He got to pass out free samples, so that really wasn’t too terrible. And he made a decent amount of money, considering he hadn’t had a job since high school and was already in his second year of college.

He wanted to do a big Christmas this year. That’s what had driven him to get a job in the first place. His sisters all had dream gifts that he knew his mom and stepdad probably couldn’t afford. When it had been just him and his mom, she’d always worked so hard to give Louis his dream gift each year. He didn’t want his little siblings to go without. And besides, Louis had a thing for spoiling people. It wasn’t just going to be his family that he wanted to treat this year, but also his friends. Zayn wanted some snazzy attachment for his spray paint gun and Niall was eyeing a jersey at the sports store. If Louis could give them those things with the extra money he was making at the mall, it’d be perfect.

It wasn’t that the job technically paid a lot. It didn’t. But it paid enough and Louis worked whenever he wasn’t in class - which was usually six hours every day of the week and eight on weekends. It could get a tad boring, but he kept himself occupied by people watching. The customers that stopped by See’s were usually really nice - which was good. Louis was nice too, but when he had to deal with twats, he could turn into a bit of one himself. He adored watching the little kids scamper off to the south end of the mall in their Sunday Best to get photos with Santa. And he absolutely loved flirting with the old ladies who’d stop by for his free samples. It wasn’t a bad job really.

His second week of working, a new kiosk opened up. Which tended to happen, he found. A lot of the kiosks were very temporary. His own was seasonal, and he was already trying to find a new job for once this one went away. As lazy as he had a habit of being, he did enjoy working. The kiosk that popped up next to See’s was called Candles by Cassandra. Apparently, from what Louis gathered, Cassandra made homemade soy candles and had bought a kiosk at the mall that her employees could sell from. Louis hated candles. They always smelled too strong and gave him headaches. But most of the Cassandra employees kept to themselves, which Louis was happy for. He hated pushy kiosk workers harassing everyone and anyone around them.

It was the last week of November when Cassandra’s was graced with a new employee. Louis had never seen him before. He eyed him from his own kiosk as he watched a tall blonde girl help him learn the register. Louis couldn’t help but be taken by this boy. He was tall and lanky and had long curly chocolate-brown hair that fell mid-shoulder. He had a few scattered freckles and Louis could tell even from his own kiosk that the boy had the greenest eyes in the whole wide world. And his lips! Louis was quite certain that that boy’s lips could even rival the sweet cinnamon lollipops he handed out as free samples. Louis realized he was staring when the boy turned, met Louis’ gaze, and gave a small, self-conscious wave. Shit. Louis waved back before quickly turning to organize some Toffeettes. Subtlety was never his strong suit, according to Zayn anyway.

Louis tried not to stare for the rest of the day. He didn’t want to be a creep. But he couldn’t help himself. He found himself reorganizing the boxes of truffles and chocolates so as to have a better view of Candles by Cassandra and yeah...okay...Louis was a creep. Sue him. It wasn’t his fault this boy was just so damn...pretty. Louis had never seen anyone like him before. And he was so tall and what was worse was that he wore heeled boots, making him even taller. Louis had a thing for tall boys. Tall boys with chocolate hair and mint eyes and cinnamon lips and shit...Louis had been working at the candy stand far too long.

The blonde left about noon. Cinnamon Lolli Lips - as Louis had totally-one-hundred-percent-not-creepily nicknamed the boy, was left alone for the first time all day. Louis couldn’t help but think back to his first day alone at See’s. It wasn’t so bad really. He’d been nervous as fuck, but it wasn’t so bad once you got into the swing of things. Everything was pretty simple and you hardly ever had a customer backup. It was a pretty simple job. And so far, the boy wasn’t doing terribly. No one had bought anything, and he was looking a little disgruntled. Louis almost felt bad for him. But he sold candles - what did he expect, really. As the afternoon ticked on, no one bought a candle. The boy looked more and more downtrodden and Louis felt more and more badly. Fuck, he was almost about to go over there and buy a damn candle himself. But he couldn’t leave his stand until his break - which wasn’t for another two hours. So, Cinnamon Lolli Lips would just have to deal.

And then it happened. Louis had just sold three boxes of truffles to a woman with a little girl attached to her hip and Louis had given the little girl two free lollipops as opposed to just the usual one because frankly, she was adorable and reminded him of his sisters. And Louis never passed up the opportunity to dote. As soon as they had checked out, he spotted Cinnamon Lolli Lips - Christ, he needed a new nickname - with a customer. The customer was about to purchase a bright red candle. Louis couldn’t help but beam as Cinnamon - okay, no. Louis was done with that nickname. As Truffle Curls (that was a tad better, right?) was ringing up the candle, the register let out an alarming beep. Truffle Curls went bright pink. Louis frowned. This wasn’t good. Truffle Curls began to type away at the keyboard and try to figure out what was wrong with the system. He kept apologizing to the woman as he frantically typed away at the keys. Louis would go over to offer his help, but rules were rules. He couldn’t abandon his kiosk until his allotted break time.

“I don’t know what is going on with the system right now,” Truffle Curls apologized, “I am so, so sorry. It’s my first day and I um...I’m trying to figure this all out and um...I’m so sorry!”

Louis’ heart went out to him. It really did. He wanted to help him, but to be honest, Louis was no computer expert. Even if he could help, if he tried, he was sure he’d probably only just make the problem worse.

“Oh this wasn’t plugged in,” Truffle Curls held up a cord that attached to the computer, “Let me just see where this goes,” and Louis winced as this tall, lanky boy proceeded to crawl under the kiosk to where the computer tower was hidden. Louis winced and scratched above his brow as he watched the boy awkwardly fumble around under the kiosk.

“Let me just see something real quick…” he said and just as he moved, the heel of his boot caught on one of the cables - the cable attached to the keyboard. The keyboard came crashing down right on his back, “Ow!” The boy cried, reaching behind him to massage his back.

Louis pursed his lips to keep from laughing. He felt bad for Truffle Curls. He really did. But to be honest, that was the funniest thing he’d ever encountered at this job. And he could use the laugh. The boy attempted to stand and whacked his head on the counter of the kiosk. And Louis just lost it. He really couldn’t help it. The boy was standing now, massaging both his back and his forehead. He looked so disgruntled, which really shouldn’t be so cute except he pursed his cinnamon lips in the most precious pout Louis had ever seen. A pout he quite wanted to take a bite of, if he was honest. And the whole thing was absolutely ridiculous and Louis just couldn’t help the giggles that escaped his lips in spite of a feeble attempt to hide them with the back of his hand.

“Are you laughing at me?” Truffle Curls turned to Louis and looked at him with this absolute look of betrayal. Louis sobered up quick under that look. He cleared his throat and stood up a tad straighter. He felt like he used to feel in school when the teachers would scold him - which was a usual occurrence. Louis opened his mouth to apologize right as the customer set the candle down roughly on the counter and walked off. Truffle Curls ran a hand through his hair and let out a pained groan before snapping his head back to Louis, “Thanks for the help by the way.”

“Sorry,” Louis winced, “I can’t leave my kiosk. It’s the rules.”

“You could have at least told me what to do or offered some kind of assistance. You didn’t even have any customers.”

“And what makes you think I’d know what to do with that contraption,” Louis waved his hand toward the computer.

“Because you work here.”

“So do you.”

“You’ve worked here longer.”

“Fair point,” Louis nodded once. Okay, so Truffle Curls wasn’t just sweet, he was a tad salty too. Like a toffee. Louis loved toffee. And Louis loved banter. And Louis was well on his way to loving this ridiculous boy in front of him. He really could use that break now please and thank you. “But that doesn’t mean I could help with your situation considering you broke the damn computer system.”

“I did not!” Truffle Curls gasped, “I swear I didn’t! Did I?”

“Oh don’t fuss too much, babe,” Louis winked, “No one buys candles anyway.”

“Of course people buy candles!” Truffle Curls was offended now. Which, Louis couldn’t say he was upset over. He liked how the boy looked when he was flustered. A little pink on his cheeks did him good. “Lots of people buy candles! Candles are wonderful! Candles make a house a home!”

“Do they now?” Louis blinked, “I wouldn’t know.”

“You mean,” Truffle Curls lowered his voice, “you don’t like candles?” He asked it as if he was just accusing Louis of the gravest sin possible.

“Nope,” Louis shrugged casually, “Can’t say I do. They smell too strong and they give me headaches and they have weird names. I don’t want my apartment to smell like Candy Apple or whatever. I just want it to smell like what it’s meant to smell like - which is pizza grease and beer.”

“Ew,” Truffle Curls grimaced, “That’s disgusting. My favorite candles are Warm Vanilla Sugar Cookie. It smells like heaven.”

“If heaven smells like…” Louis was about to say something obscene - like, the Cake Boss’s asshole, for example. But then a customer approached - a little old lady with curly blue hair - and Louis had to be civil. He shot her his best smile and let her sample a truffle while Truffle Curls was glaring daggers at Louis. Louis smirked to himself. Being a pain was a sure-fire way of getting the boy’s attention. Louis could definitely do that. While his customer was waiting on her receipt to print, Louis glanced over. Truffle Curls was on the phone with Cassandra, begging her to come up and take a look at the computer system.

“First day and you already break something,” Louis scolded, shaking his head.

“Hush you,” Curly snapped, “Look, I know. Let’s make fun of the new guy. It’s his first day. But I really want to do well at this job and I-I just don’t want to be fired. So if you’re going to be an ass, kindly fuck off.”

Louis glanced at the clock on his phone. Two minutes until his break. He could skip out a tad early. He closed his till and hung up the little sign that said “Be Back in__” with the little clock. He had the clock set for twenty minutes. After double-checking that everything was in order, Louis tucked his phone back into his pocket and made his way over to Curly’s kiosk.

“Look,” Louis said with a heavy sigh, “I’m sorry. I just...I tend to say and do the wrong things at the wrong times. How about we go grab lunch together or something? Or if you want, I can just pick up something from the food court and bring it back to you,” Louis suggested.

“My break isn’t for another hour.”

“I said I could bring you something,” Louis didn’t know why he was growing flustered. But there was something about the change in the air between them. There was suddenly this tension. Louis hoped he hadn’t gone too far and had hurt the poor kid’s feelings. He hadn’t meant to laugh and tease him - not cruelly anyway. And Zayn always warned Louis that a lot of people couldn’t tell the difference at times. So maybe Louis had royally fucked this up.

“I don’t want you to bring me anything. I want this damn computer system to work properly and not to be fired on my first day,” Truffle Curls put his head in his hands and let out a miserable-sounding groan. Louis felt even more like shit now. He always was teasing people. It was just his nature. His friends knew and his family knew. But Truffle Curls didn’t know him at all and therefore didn’t know that Louis wasn’t just being mean. He needed to make things right. He couldn’t bare the thought of this beautiful boy having any hard feelings towards him.

“Alright,” Louis nodded, “Well, I’ll just go take my break then.”

Truffle Curls said nothing else and Louis sighed and made his way towards the crowded food court. The smell of cheap Chinese and greasy McDonald’s filled the air. Louis inhaled, reveling in the scent of all his favorite junk foods combined. If there was a heaven, it wouldn’t smell like Curly’s cookie candles, that was for sure. It’d smell like a mall food court - at least in Louis’ eyes. Mall food courts were the most pure places on earth. You could have any cheap junk food your little heart desired. Louis was particularly hungry for some greasy, sticky Orange Chicken at Chow Bing’s but as he made his way there, he paused at the little sandwich place - Wrapzilla. They sold delicious smoothies. Truffle Curls seemed like the smoothie kind of person.

Louis forwent the Chinese and settled on a Chicken Bacon Ranch wrap with a large Dr. Pepper from Wrapzilla, and a large Strawberry Banana smoothie as well. He carried his items back towards his kiosk. Truffle Curls was on the phone again and was still typing away at the computer keyboard. Louis sat his food down next to his own computer and watched Truffle Curls intently. Finally, the correct screen popped up and Truffle Curls let out a little cheer. He profusely thanked Cassandra on the phone and as soon as he’d hung up the call, he actually proceeded to do a little happy dance. Louis bit back the fond smile he felt spreading across his face.

“Got it working then?” Louis asked, grabbing the smoothie and walking over towards the kiosk.

“Yeah,” Curly nodded, brushing a hand through his curls and glancing at Louis’ skeptically, “And I’m not fired, and I didn’t break the system. So no reason to keep poking fun at me then.”

“Look,” Louis took a deep break, “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings or something. I didn’t mean to. I tend to tease people a lot. Not in a mean way, but sometimes it can be mistaken for being mean. I really didn’t mean to upset you or make your first day suck or anything like that,” Louis insisted, “And here,” he thrust the smoothie towards Curly, “I know you said not to get you anything, but I felt bad so here.”

Curly took the smoothie and sucked on the straw a second, “Strawberry banana?”

“Of course,” Louis smiled, “The only smoothie flavor there is.”

A small, dimpled smile formed on Truffle Curls’ face, “Thank you for this. I-I know you weren’t being mean on purpose. I was just frazzled from the stress of everything. Um...you could...you could still tease me a bit if you want,” he said shyly, sucking another sip of his smoothie and glancing at Louis through his long, dark lashes. And well, fuck. If Louis didn’t know better, he’d say this kid was flirting with him. Zayn had often warned Louis not to assume everyone was flirting with him. But really, what was the fun in that?

Louis bit back his smile as he replied, “Noted.”

They spent the rest of the day sending little glances to each other while they worked. Louis also entertained himself by pulling faces to make Truffle Curls laugh. Because honestly, when he laughed it was the most amazing thing Louis ever had seen. He would throw his head back or would double over and hold his sides and he had this wide, wide smile and the biggest dimples and his eyes would get all sparkly. Yeah, Louis figured he wouldn’t mind spending his whole life making this boy laugh.

Unfortunately though, all the added fun of having Curly there to entertain him meant that Louis’ shift went by faster than usual. Soon, before he knew it, it was time for him to head back to the little flat he and Zayn shared. He found that as he was shutting down his kiosk, he felt a pang in his chest at having to leave. He didn’t want to say goodbye to Curly just yet. He watched as Curly was shutting down his own kiosk. Louis finished first and sort of lingered around waiting. Once Curly had finished closing the kiosk, Louis met him to walk out together.

“So,” Louis asked casually, “I saw you sold some candles.”

“I did,” Curly smiled proudly, “Told you people like them.”

“Crazy people,” Louis rolled his eyes and that made Truffle Curls laugh. Which, okay good. Louis wanted to make him laugh all the time.

“Then maybe you should invest in one.”

“Ha, very funny,” Louis shook his head, digging a finger into Truffle Curls’ side, making him squirm away and laugh. Louis decided to hold onto that and file that away under things to remember about this beautiful boy.

“So,” Louis said, “I have a confession to make.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Yeah,” Louis bit his lip, trying to work up the courage to say what he was about to say, “I need to know your name. Like right now. I’ve come up with the most embarrassing nicknames for you because I don’t know your name. And I just can’t go on with that.”

“Ooh,” Curly grinned, “Do tell!”

“No.”

“Please?” Curly begged, actually clasping his hands together as they walked towards the main parking lot, “Pretty, pretty please?”

“Christ you’re a menace, aren’t you?” Louis asked, “Alright, fine. I’ve called you…” Louis took a deep break, “Truffle Curls. And um...maybe Cinnamon Lolli Lips…”

“Oh my God!” Curly roared with laughed and Louis quite wanted to melt into a puddle, “I love that! Oh please, please don’t stop calling me those things. They’re quite endearing!”

“They’re embarrassing. I felt like a total creep,” Louis shook his head, “Clearly I’ve been working the candy kiosk far, far too long.”

“Hush,” Curly scolded, “I like my nicknames. Please keep using them.”

“Alright, fine,” Louis rolled his eyes, “But I would like to know your name. Your real name.”

“Oh alright then,” Curly paused. They were just about to the main parking lot. Louis would have to say goodnight and goodbye eventually, but he just wanted to hold onto Curly for a little longer. And now he’d have a name - a real name - to use.

“Well?” Louis asked impatiently.

“My name is…” Curly’s grin grew to three times its size as he said, “Cinnamon Lolli Lips!” and asked off in the direction of his car.

Louis’ jaw dropped in shock as he watched Curly take off giggling. Louis bit his lip and rocked on his heels. The absolute little shit.

Louis was determined as ever after that to learn what Curly’s real name was. When he arrived at the mall the next day after his Sociology course, he saw that Curly was already there at his kiosk, making a sale.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Louis smirked, nudging his hip into Curly’s as he passed him.

“Ah yes, Snickerdoodle. Good to see you,” Curly giggled, scanning a pink candle into the computer.

“Snickerdoodle?” Louis gasped, opening his register, “What?”

“You’re not the only one who can come up with nicknames. If I’m Cinnamon Lolli Lips, you’re Snickerdoodle. You wanna know why you’re Snickerdoodle?” Curly asked playfully.

“Why?” Louis asked.

“Because,” he grinned cheerfully, handing his customer her bag and wishing her Happy Holidays, “You’re sweet and a little spicy too - like a cinnamon cookie.”

“So we’re both cinnamon.”

“Yup.”

“Okay then,” Louis grinned, setting up for his first sale of the day. This was absolutely ridiculous. He couldn’t keep calling this boy Cinnamon Lolli Lips and he certainly couldn’t be called Snickerdoodle - for Christ’s sakes it sounded like the name of a cat! But this could be their Thing, Louis supposed. He would rather have some Thing with Curly than nothing. Even if it was weirdly cute nicknames.

“Are you going to the thing tonight?” Curly asked suddenly a few moments later.

“What thing?” Louis asked.

“The ice skating thing? It starts at seven tonight, and that’ll be after our shift. There’s gonna be a light show above the ice rink and lots of Christmas music. There’s flyers for it all over the mall, Snickerdoodle.”

Louis frowned. He hadn’t noticed. And he wasn’t too keen on ice skating anyway. He was decent at it sure, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed it. He often had to take his sisters to the ice rink by their house, and that was always a miserable event. Someone always fought with someone else, someone always fell, someone always cried. He tended to avoid ice rinks at all costs. But maybe if Cinnamon Lolli Lips was going...Louis could make an exception.

“Are you going?” Louis asked.

“It sounds fun. I’m terrible with skating, but it’s so much fun. Would be more fun to have someone to go with though.”

“Mmm,” Louis hummed. He propped his elbows onto the counter and rests his chin in his palms as he said, “You know the boy from the Dead Sea Cosmetics kiosk is pretty fit.”

Curly’s jaw dropped and Louis chuckled, adding, “I’m kidding. Alright, if you insist, I suppose I can come with you.”

“Yay!” Curly clapped his hands together excitedly and really, Louis didn’t want to find that as cute as he did.

“One condition though,” Louis held up his finger. Curly’s face dropped slightly and Louis added, “I need to know your name.”

Curly scrunched up his face as he debated it for a moment. Louis rolled his eyes because really, this kid was more dramatic at times than even he was. And that was really saying something.

“Alright. If it means you’ll be my date tonight,” Curly took a breath before saying, “It’s Harry.”

“Harry,” Louis tasted the name on his tongue. He liked that name. It suited Curly - and not just because of his hair. Harry just had an old-world sound to it, and Harry was beautiful in a timeless kind of way. Louis tasted the name again, “Harry. I like it!”

“Thank you,” Harry blushed prettily, “But can I know your name?”

“My name is Louis,” Louis said.

“Louis,” Harry repeated, “I like your name too.”

Louis didn’t know why, but he could feel himself blushing. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a customer. By the time he could glance back over at Harry, Harry was helping out his own customer. Louis smiled as he watched him interact with the woman. He seemed a lot more confident than he was yesterday. Which was good. Louis felt a little bit of pride stir in him.

Throughout the rest of his shift, Louis found himself actually looking forward to going ice skating with Harry. He supposed it could be fun. Besides, it meant spending more time with Harry and Louis was definitely okay with that. Their shifts passed quickly, and soon enough they were headed towards the outdoor ice rink. Harry was pulling his pea coat on as Louis was zipping up his army jacket. It was chilly outside. The ice rink was lit with several different overhead spotlights that shone and changed to the beat of the music playing. The first song was Jingle Bells. Louis had been so sick of hearing the Christmas music inside the mall, but he had to admit this was fun.

Suddenly, he felt Harry’s hand grab his own and before he knew it, was being tugged over towards the little booth where you could rent skates. He couldn’t help but laugh at how excited Harry was. He was like a little kid on Christmas. And if Louis could make this night special for him, he wasn’t going to complain. Louis dug out his wallet and purchased the skates for them both, despite Harry’s protesting, and lead them over to the bench to put on their skates. Louis knelt down at Harry’s feet and slid the chelsea boots off his feet.

“You don’t have to do my skates for me,” Harry said.

“Hush you. You’re the one that said this was a date. But if you want to ruin it and have it not be, I could comment on how terribly your feet smell.”

“Hey!” Harry frowned, kicking his foot a little at Louis. Louis chuckled and tickled at Harry’s foot, causing the boy to squeal and try to jerk his foot away. Louis was laughing too now, but decided to relent and gently slid Harry’s foot into the first skate. He carefully did up the laces, making sure they were tight but not too tight. He glanced up at Harry as he began to remove Harry’s other boot. Harry was staring at him with a soft smile. Louis couldn’t help but smile back. He was actually on a date with the cutest boy on the entire planet. Louis had zero complaints.

After he had finished lacing the other skate, he tapped at Harry’s thigh and said, “Alright love, stand up and see how those feel.”

Harry stood up and of course wobbled around like the elegant, graceful baby giraffe he was. Louis chuckled and bit down on his knuckle as he watched Harry.

“How are you gonna manage on the ice, babe?” Louis laughed, sinking down on the bench to begin work on his own skates.

“No idea to be honest,” he sat down next to Louis, “Which is why no one really goes skaing with me.”

“What?” Louis frowned.

“I’m pretty horrible at it. I fall over the place and it’s pretty embarrassing. I love it though, in spite of making a fool of myself. But a lot of people stopped wanting to come skating with me because of it. If you want to change your mind and back out, you can…”

“Nonsense!” Louis admonished, smacking Harry on the thigh, “That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard! People fall when they skate. It’s just what happens. I’m not going to change my mind about skating with you just because you’ve got the grace of a baby cow.”

“Hey!” Harry pouted.

“But really,” Louis softened, reaching over to place his hand over Harry’s on the bench, “I agreed to go skating with you, didn’t I? Because I want to. I want to go skating with you, Harry. No matter how much you fall. No promises that I won’t mercilessly tease you for it,” Louis grinned, “But, you know.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Harry beamed.

Louis stood up from the bench and held his out for Harry. Together, they waddled towards the rink. Santa Claus is Coming to Town was playing now. Louis took a deep breath and stepped out on the ice first. He found his footing for a second and held out his hands for Harry to grasp on to. He helped Harry out onto the ice. Harry slipped a tad, but Louis held him firmly in place, making sure he didn’t fall.

“I think I may just walk around the edge,” Harry noted, reaching a gloved hand towards the edge of the rink.

“Oh no you don’t,” Louis grabbed for the hand and grasped it firmly, “You’re skating with me, babe. And I don’t just cling to the edge, alright? C’mon!” Louis yanked Harry out towards the center as Harry squealed and protested. Soon though, they were standing in the very middle of the rink, far away from the edge.

“I want my edge,” Harry pouted.

“You could always skate over there yourself,” Louis shrugged, “But I won’t help you do that.”

Harry rolled his eyes, “Fine. But if you let go of my hand, I swear to god Louis…”

“I’m not gonna let go,” Louis promised, “I swear. I’ve got you babe.”

“Okay,” Harry nodded, “Okay.”

Louis began to skate, pulling Harry along after him. They were both laughing and honestly, this was the most fun Louis had had ice skating in well, forever. Harry’s dimples were on full display, and Louis was certain his eyes were rivaling the stars in the sky above them.

“Look at them!” Harry said suddenly, pointing to a couple. The boy had lifted the girl up in his arms and they were spinning fast. Louis frowned, getting a hint of what Harry was asking.

“Harry, no,” Louis shook his head, “They’re probably professionals. There’s no way...we can’t do that. We’d fall and break our asses if we even attempted that!”

“Please?” Harry jutted his lower lip out slightly.

“Put that lip away,” Louis shook his head, “That lip can get you the moon on a string if you asked, are you aware of that?” Harry just beamed and nodded. Louis took a deep breath. “Alright, fine. But we end up in the hospital tonight, I’m blaming you.”

And suddenly Harry was jumping into his arms. And the next thing Louis knew, they were on the ice, in a heap. And everything ached. His immediate thought was Harry though. He turned to the boy who was splayed out on him. His bottom lip was busted and bleeding, but so far that was the only damage Louis could detect.

“So maybe that wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had,” Harry winced.

“You think?” Louis rolled his eyes but gently reached out to wipe his thumb over Harry’s bloody lip, “You’re bleeding, babe.”

“I know,” Harry winced, “Maybe...maybe this is enough skating for tonight.”

“Yeah,” Louis nodded. They began to untangle their limbs from each other and Louis helped Harry up off the ice. They hobbled over to the booth to take their skates off, ignoring the looks from the other skaters. Louis winced as he bent over to unlace his skates.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Harry mummered, “Really. I...that was dumb.”

“Hey,” Louis turned to Harry and saw that his eyes were glassy with tears and that just wasn’t acceptable by any means, “It’s okay,” Louis reached out and brushed a tear off Harry’s cheek with the pad of his thumb, “Really. I’m not mad or anything, darling. We just should leave the skating to the professionals. But if you want to come skate again sometime, I’ll still be happy to skate with you. Just...no more fancy figure skating, okay?”

“Really?” Harry asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Of course darling. If it’s something you like, I’ll be happy to come back with you. But no more figure skating, alright? I think we’re lucky we got out of there with what little injuries we have.”

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Harry asked concerned as Louis knelt down to take his skates off.

“Just a tad sore,” Louis shrugged, slipping the skate off Harry’s foot, “You’re the one with the busted lip though, love. I’m really sorry about that. We can call it a night if you want.”

“I-I don’t want to,” Harry shook his head.

“Then we don’t have to,” Louis tenderly stroked the top of Harry’s foot before slipping it back into his boot, “There’s a little diner not far from here. I could go for some dinner. And I’ve been told they have an excellent candy cane milkshake which may interest someone I know.”

“Yes please!”

Louis chuckled. After they had changed into their usual shoes and returned the skates to the booth, they made their way to Louis’ car. He unlocked it and turned the key in the ignition. The first thing he did was put the heater on, and turn on their seat warmers.

“I am sorry I wasn’t able to catch you,” Louis apologized again.

“I am sorry I thought we could be the next Gold Medal skaters.”

Louis laughed, “I am not sorry I agreed to go out with you.”

“I am not sorry I asked you to.”

Louis blushed, putting his car in reverse and backing out of the parking space. Harry fussed with the radio a bit before finding the Christmas station and turning up the volume. Louis couldn’t even be annoyed in the slightest. Harry was just far too cute. Louis would listen to all the Christmas songs ever for the rest of his entire life if Harry asked him to.

They drove to the diner in a comfortable silence. When they got there, Louis came around and opened Harry’s door for him. Harry teased him about being a gentleman and Louis kicked him in the ass - which made them both giggle as they walked into the diner. The waitress took them to a booth and wrote down their orders - two cheeseburgers, one large order of fries, one candy cane milkshake, and two cokes.

“Thank you for this,” Harry said, reaching out to grasp Louis’ hand, “You’re a good date.”

“You’re welcome,” Louis smiled and stroked over Harry’s knuckles with his thumb, “You aren’t too shabby a date yourself.”

Harry giggled and said, “Would it be sappy for me to say I don’t want this night to end.”

“It doesn’t have to,” Louis tapped his thumb on Harry’s knuckle, “You could come back to my place. I’m not saying that to be skeezy. I just...I can kick my roommate out of the living room and we can watch Christmas movies or something if you want. We have hot cocoa and marshmallows and Elf on DVD…”

“Cocoa and marshmallows and Elf on DVD?” Harry enthused, “Well, how could I ever say no to that?”

And thus Louis found himself on the couch with Harry tucked under his arm, Elf playing on the TV screen, and two steaming mugs of hot chocolate sitting on the coffee table in front of them. He had banished Zayn into his bedroom without much force, and had fixed hot cocoa while Harry sat on the countertop and watched, nibbling marshmallows from the bag.

Now though, they were curled up on the couch together, watching Elf. And Louis quite liked the feeling of Harry in his arms. He would be content with never, ever letting go.

“Hey,” Louis said, brushing his fingers lightly over Harry’s soft tummy, making the boy giggle, “You’re cute.”

“Stop,” Harry squirmed.

“You are,” Louis squeezed him tightly in his arms, “Never want to let  you go.”

“Then don’t,” Harry insisted.

“I won’t. Gonna hold on to you forever and ever.”

“Lou, there’s this thing...it’s called having a winter girlfriend. Basically you just date someone for the holidays, and then first day of spring, it’s like ‘see you later.’ That’s not gonna be this...is it?”

Louis furrowed his brow, “Babe, I meant it when I said I wasn’t letting go of you. And that winter girlfriend thing is the biggest load of bullshit. I want you for winter, spring, summer, and fall - all the seasons, all the years. Got that?”

“Good,” Harry nuzzled closer against Louis, “Because I want you for all the seasons, all the years, too.”

Louis couldn’t explain it. He felt himself being well on his way to falling in love with this beautiful boy with the gorgeous smile and the cinnamon lolli lips and the truffle curls.

“Would your lip hurt terribly if I were to kiss you right now?” Louis asked.

Harry thumbed over the scab on his bottom lip thoughtfully before saying, “Probably. But I don’t really give a damn.”

Louis had to hold back a squeal as he rolled Harry over so that they were facing one another. Louis stroked his thumb down Harry’s cheek, across his jaw, and over the scab of his lip.

“You really are quite beautiful, Cinnamon Lolli Lips.”

“Shut up and kiss me, Snickerdoodle.”

Louis chuckled, “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

\--

For the next few weeks, Harry and Louis spent most of their time outside the mall being attached at the hip. When Christmas Eve rolled around, Harry accompanied Louis with his family to celebrate Louis’ birthday. Harry brought him a birthday present that he had wrapped himself - it even had a little bow on it. And on Christmas morning, Louis went with Harry to visit Harry’s family. It didn’t take them long at all to fall completely and utterly in love with each other. And on New Year’s at midnight, Louis told Harry that.

“I love you,” Louis said as they broke apart after their New Year’s kiss, “Wanted my first words of the new year to be that.”

Of course, Harry said it back - after tackling Louis to the ground and kissing him about a dozen times.


End file.
